A French public broadcaster has been accused of spreading anti-Christian messaging by saying that the tradition of Christmas markets is tied to Adolph Hitler and the Nazis.
This week, taxpayer-funded Franceinfo published a video titled “Christmas markets, a tradition rehabilitated by the Nazis” on social media, which, according to Le Figaro, opened with the question: “Did you know there’s a link between the Nazis and our beloved Christmas markets?”
The broadcaster went on to claim that the tradition was “largely revived” by the National Socialist German Workers’ Party under Adolph Hitler in the 1930s as a means of promoting economic growth by encouraging the purchase of goods made in Germany at Christmas markets.
While Franceinfo journalist Antoine Milan Depeuille acknowledged that Christmas markets predate the formation of the Nazi party by hundreds of years during the Holy Roman Empire and spread widely across the continent during the Industrial Revolution, he claimed that they made a “strong comeback” in Hitler’s Germany in the 1930s after being pushed to the periphery of cities by “elites”.
“With the Nazi dictatorship, Christmas became a nationalist holiday. Christmas markets helped promote German heritage,” and “stimulate the economy with products made in Germany,” he said, claiming that the Nazis “decided to reinstate Christmas markets in city centres”.
Amid steep backlash on social media, with the broadcaster facing accusations of anti-Christian bias, Franceinfo removed the video from its accounts.
The public broadcaster’s move to tie Christmas markets to the Nazis was hailed by the French Communist Party-aligned L’Humanité newspaper, which declared: “Franceinfo is right: our Christmas markets do indeed have a link with the Nazis! Much to the dismay of the far right, which seeks to rewrite history while also attacking public service in the process.”
Others were more critical, including conservative French MP Véronique Besse, who commented: “The scandalous parallel drawn by Franceinfo between our Christmas markets and Nazism reaches a peak of indecency. Thus tarnishing our traditions is simply outrageous. No to the disgrace cast upon our heritage. Let us celebrate, instead of denigrating!”
Even former Socialist Party presidential candidate Ségolène Royal excoriated the broadcaster, writing: “It’s shameful, this conflation between Nazis and Christmas markets made on a radio station. At a time when children and families are preparing to be happy, to dream, while setting aside their anxieties a little; at a time when artisans and merchants are giving the best of their craftsmanship to share the joy of Christmas, we remain appalled by the stupidity and malice of these anti-Christmas obsessions.”
Royal went on to question if the Franceinfo journalist was “deprived” of Christmas cheer as a child and therefore filled with “hatred” for the holiday.
“Let’s not allow hatred and sectarianism to do so much harm, to shatter children’s dreams and carefree moments. Even as Christmas has become a universal festival of lights, as evidenced by the Christmas trees in hotels and cities around the world, even those very far from the Christian tradition. Leave the children in peace and tranquillity,” she said.
The scandal comes amid concern across Europe over the potential of further Islamist terror attacks on Christmas markets. Indeed, earlier this month, the French Interior Ministry ordered local governments to boost security and even authorised the deployment of troops at Christmas markets as a “visible deterrent” against attacks.
In neighbouring Germany, multiple locales have been forced to cancel their Christmas markets outright, citing the cost of the security measures needed to prevent an attack. Last year, the Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg was marred by an attack by a pro-asylum activist from Saudi Arabia, who ploughed a car into market-goers, taking the lives of six people and injuring 323.
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